The need for soft skills training

With the changing times, the face of the corporate world is also changing, wherein the need-of-the-hour is to have state-of-the-art professionals who are agile enough to meet the growing demands of the industry. These professionals, if trained properly, can gain amazing dexterity in dealing with various on- the-job situations. Each individual carries within himself/herself a mine of potentials, which if tapped properly can create astonishing results. A trained personnel is better equipped than an untrained one as s/he is professionally trained to handle pressures, whereas an untrained individual valiantly learns by trial and error.

Up until now professional qualification was enough, but in contemporary times, besides having a superb degree one also needs to have an extraordinary personality and the right attitude. Some people are born with the grace and charm required to make that killing success, while some others have to acquire it! And those who refuse to wake-up to the call of the hour are sadly jolted out of their reverie when sudden need arises. Let’s say for example a chance meeting with a foreign delegate or a business trip to a foreign land! In both cases if you are already equipped with the best communication skills or the right table manners all you have to do is pack your bags. However, in case you have been slumbering so far, you will either have to goof up or take a quick refresher course.

There is nothing worse than watching a senior manager picking his/her nose or an executive chomping on his/ her food as if he/she has been starving for days. Poor communication skill, in spite of good positions, is a common phenomenon; not to mention the terrible telephonic etiquette! The need is to recognize what is lacking in oneself and then getting the void filled. Today, it is imperative for anybody who aspires to be a professional to get whatever skills available -who knows what might come handy in the later day!

Some of the essential skills a professional could look into are:

Communication Skills – Verbal, Non- verbal (body Language), Interpersonal – One needs to know the accurate way to approach and interact with colleagues, juniors and seniors. Simultaneously, it is also very important to carry the right body language as what you say and what you express via your body language may not tally!

English and Business Communication – It goes without saying that English has become a prerequisite for anyone who wishes to excel – after all it is an international language and knowing it can only be advantageous.

Time Management – All of us work hard, but all of us also hope that there were more than 24 hours with which the day had been made. Amazingly there are people who are able to do all and more within these very 24 hours. So, learning time-management is a must!

Anger Management – Shouting at every cross-road has almost become the order of the day. How many of us are able to contain our anger, and channelise it fruitfully? If the art of managing anger were more common, there would be less hyper-tension and other related problems.

Telephonic Etiquette -‘Bolo’ the most common and trite word heard on the phone! Telephone has become one of the most abused machines, what with the onslaught of limited telephone etiquette and poor communication.

Team Building and Leadership -Everyone has to work with the other in co-ordination and coherence. To learn this, and understand the benefits of team and team spirit learning, the essentials of team building are necessary.

Social and Business Etiquette -Meeting people, greeting them, being polite, bidding them goodbye are all a part of an individual’s personality, so very crucial that they become instrumental in success or failure.

Table Manners – If we have not learnt as children then it’s high time we do so now.

Presentation Skills -Making presentations, using audio-visual aids and facing the audience with confidence and aplomb are a part of presentation skills.

Do not hesitate and be embarrassed about learning something new which might facilitate you further your career. There are professionals who will give you the correct training and will help you overcome your lack of confidence, stage fear, and shyness, thereby enabling you to build a strong personality. These professionals are experienced trainers with corporate experience behind them, and you can find many such work-shops being held in the city. So do not dawdle and take that first step!

Some institutes where such work- shops are held: English and Soft Skills Educators Ahmedabad Management Association Ranawat Education.